Dove
by MadelineMontesquieu
Summary: Ophira Lafleur's life changes in one night after rescuing a cat. She sprout wings, literally, and becomes immortal. She becomes prey, and vampires are the predators. It's my first fanfic, so please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: I own all of the characters in this story. I also own the Dove mythology. If you would like to use the dove mythology in any of your stories, please private message me. :) **_

**Chapter 1: "Excuse me, too busy writing your tragedies" –Frou Frou**

I pulled my coat closer to myself as I walked down a suburban sidewalk. It was a chilly September evening, and wind whipped scarlet and coffee colored leaves through the air. The sky was a deep midnight purple, and the air smelled of pumpkin pie. I smiled to myself. Fall was a good season. Senior year in high school had just started, and everyone's hopes were high, including mine. I was 18 and had my whole life to live.

I was walking from my friend's house because we had been working on a French project together. Luckily, we only lived about five minutes from each other, and I loved walking. When I arrived home, I unlocked the door with the key in my pocket, and went inside. The house was pitch black, and I immediately turned on the lights. My parents were on a business trip, as always, so I was home alone; they were rarely home at all. I went upstairs to my room, seeking the shower. As I went into the bathroom, I looked in the mirror. My reflection stared back at me. White blonde hair that went down to my belly button in shaggy layers, pale skin, pale blue eyes, dark lashes. I was five feet tall. Short and proud.

I quickly took a shower, feeling the hot water cascade over me, relaxing my muscles. When I got out, I put on a simple black v-neck t- shirt with dark jeans and white vans, thinking I would go on just one more walk. I grabbed a sweatshirt and headed out. It was nighttime now, but the bright streetlights prevented me from seeing any stars. I was pondering what it would be like without streetlamps when I heard cruel laughter coming from the little park near my house. Quietly, I crept up to where I could see what was happening. Two boys, about 13 years old, were terrorizing a black cat. The poor creature kept hissing, but the boys held on firmly to its tail. They had smeared what looked like peanut butter all over its fur.

I was pissed. They had no right to treat the cat that way. "Oy, sissy boys!" I yelled. They turned their beady little heads to look at me. I gave them my death glare. "Leave. The. Cat. Alone. Now." I guess they thought it wasn't worth arguing with me, because they just left, running off into the night. The cat stayed where it was and looked up at me. "Let's get you home and give you some food, and clean that nasty ass peanut butter off." I gently picked it up and carried it home.

Back in the kitchen of my house, I set out some food and milk for the cat. It ate it all, then looked at me. I took a paper towel and started cleaning the peanut butter off its fur. I smiled when I got most of it off. I was thinking about what I should do with the cat when it spoke in a deep voice. "My name is Pyewackett. Thank you for saving me from those horrid creatures and their awful acts." It gave a look of disgust at the mention of the two boys. "I am in debt to you. In return for your actions, I will grant you one wish." It started licking its paw.

I just stood there, hardly believing my ears. This cat was talking. In front of me. Talking. I figured this was just some strange dream, so I kept my cool. I thought about what wish I would have, all the while laughing inside because I knew it must be a dream. "Okay, Pyewackett, my name is Ophira Lafleur. And as for my wish…I wish I had wings on my back that I could use to fly." Pyewackett frowned a bit, or as much as a cat could frown.

"That, my dear, is possible. But you will experience…other changes besides sprouting wings. You will have to change into a completely different species, called doves."

Now it was my turn to frown. "I really don't want to be a complete bird-"

"No, no, no" Pyewackett cut me off. "Doves, the species I am referring to, are like humans with wings. They are immortal, but still have their souls. The only thing is that they are all old women. None of the doves are young looking. So, if I change you, will be the first young dove. You will of course remain young and will live until somebody kills you. Your body will heal cuts, bruises, bites, and minor wounds within an hour. If someone were to pierce you heart, however, you would die."

I shook off that last sentence. "So doves are a species different than humans? Are there other things that are like humans but are different?"

"Yes, there are also vampires, warlocks, werewolves, species like that."

"Okay, good to know…"

"Do you still want your wish?"

Since this was all clearly just a dream, I decided to go for it. "Alright, I'll be a dove. Change me into one. I get to keep my soul, so I'm all for it-" I was cut off again, this time because of a sharp pain in my upper back. It felt like something sleek was ripping out of my spine. I was dizzy from the pain. _But…this was all a dream…right?_ A sensation of white-hot pain coursed through my back and body as I heard the sound of skin ripping. I screamed, and fell to the floor. _This is no dream, _I thought. I looked up to see Pyewackett nudge glass of water over to me. I had no idea how that cat got it, but I drank it greedily and gasped for air. Then, it was just darkness.

When I awoke, I felt groggy. The pain was over, and I could think clearly. I could feel clearly…_ Wait a second…I can feel things attached to by back…and oh shit I can move them. What the hell have I just done?_

Pyewackett spoke first. "You were out for about an hour because you fainted from the pain. The transformation is complete. Go ahead and try out you wings." He grinned a cat smile, but there was only kindness in it. I stood up on shaky feet, and stretched out what I thought were my wings. I looked in a mirror. Each wing was about 4 feet long and 2 feet wide. They were a deep gray color. I touched them gingerly with my fingers. They felt like regular feathers. I looked at my back. It was bloody, but was healing quickly. My shirt was in tatters in the back. I turned around quickly to smile at Pyewackett when I accidentally smashed a glass vase with one of my wings. A cut formed, and red blood dripped onto smoke colored feathers. I winced. "Do not worry about that scratch, it will heal within 5 minutes. 'Tis very small."

"Pyewackett…this is amazing. Thank you so much. I can finally fly, something I've always wanted to experience as a child." Tears almost sprang to my eyes I was so happy. I flew around my house, testing my wings.

"Um…. Ophira…"

"Yes?"

"There is one minor detail I forgot to mention before you transformed…"

I looked at Pyewackett. There was only honest guilt in his eyes, no conniving evil. "And what may that be?" I asked cautiously.

He looked at me nervously. "Well, you see, there, uh, really aren't any doves anymore. They have all been killed for their sweet tasting blood." I looked at him, still confused. "You, Ophira, are a dove. You are the prey. And the predators are vampires."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note: I own all of the characters in this story. I also own the Dove mythology. If you would like to use the dove mythology in any of your stories, please private message me. :) **_

**Chapter 2: "There are no raindrops on roses…" –Panic at the Disco**

I stared back at Pyewackett. "Come again?" I laughed nervously.

"You will be hunted. I really do apologize for not informing you of this beforehand…"

"Are you serious. So… will they even know where I am? Can they find me quickly?"

"I really do not know. It may take them weeks or months to smell the scent of a dove's blood. Not many vampires will be hunting doves because they're convinced doves are extinct. A few doves have gone into hiding, keeping away from other creatures, living in places like bogs and swamps. I'm sure you can stay with one of them if you want. But once the vampires realize there is a dove out there, they will hunt you. They can run extremely fast, are very strong, and can go into sunlight."

I was slowly recovering. My brain was working, the hazy fog releasing its grip on my mind. "No. I'm not going to do that. I can't just leave behind high school, my friends, my parents-"

"Will all of that matter if they catch you anyways?" he cut me off. I narrowed my eyes at him. But he was right. If they caught me, they'd just harvest blood from me. Goodbye, life. I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to calm down the stress I was feeling.

"So what do I do." I started to truly realize the situation I was in. It's not like I had major plans for the future anyways, my parents didn't care about me that much, and I didn't have any close friends…

"You have to leave. There is a little house deep in a swamp that you can have. I got it from a friend who owed me a favor. It is quaint, and the swamp will mask your blood scent. I will arrange food, bedding, and clothing for you there. Make your choice: stay here and be captured soon, or come with me and stay safe for a little while longer." He looked intently at me. I could tell he really did care about my well being.

"I'll go with you only because I don't want to say goodbye to my freedom so quickly. I'm thinking that I won't get any when I'm captured."

"_If_ you get captured." He replied.

"Right."

"Follow me. We're going to go through a portal to get to the house in the bog."

"Portal?" I asked. He raised a paw and mumbled some words I couldn't comprehend. Suddenly, a bright green flashing light illuminated the room, and a portal appeared, showing a misty swamp on the other side. I raised both of my eyebrows. "Impressive."

He nodded his head once. "An old cat can do a little more than grant wishes." I smirked. "Come along and hurry." He went through the portal, and I followed. Immediately after I landed on the other side, the portal shut. Everything was silent except for the low hum of crickets. I looked around in front of me. It was beautiful: silky trees rose out of black water like floating spirits. We had landed on an island in the middle of the water, and a little house was perched in the trees above, about 10 feet from the ground. There was a rope ladder that led up to a door in the floor of the house. It was amazing. I could see candles glowing from little windows in the wooden house.

"Do you like it?" He smiled brightly, little cat teeth showing. I picked him up in a hug.

"Yes, thank you so much!" I smiled at him, and then put him back down.

"You're the first human to pick me up in a long time, so consider yourself honored." He gave a hearty chuckle, and I laughed along with him. "So, care to explore you new home?" He started towards the rope ladder, and climbed up it gracefully. I followed next, finding that it was surprisingly easy to climb. I peeked up into the house to find Pyewackett sitting on a bed, tail swishing back and forth. I got up into the tiny tree house, and peered around. It was the perfect size.

A four-poster queen sized bed was pushed against a corner, with eggplant colored covers and sheets and a cream-colored net canopy draping over the four dark brown wood posters. A window was right next to it. The walls were a deep green color, with various vintage and renaissance looking paintings. High up on the wall were long shelves containing old and dusty books. A black chandelier was hanging in the middle of the ceiling. Candles of different shapes, sizes, and smells were everywhere. An incense burner lay on an antique vanity table, which held perfumes from various countries. A small nightstand had a lamp with a peach colored lampshade. A grandfather clock sat in another corner, mahogany wood stained with age. An old fireplace was in the wall, and firewood was piled next to it. A wood wardrobe was next to my bed.

There was a small door that led to a bathroom and shower, which was cream with rose wallpaper. Behind another door was a kitchen, which had surprisingly modern equipment. Cute little wooden cabinets lined the walls. A small table was in the far corner with a crimson velvet chair. I went out another door near my bed, which lead to a balcony with a comfortable midnight blue velvet chair on it.

I turned to Pyewackett, who had been watching me with a smile while I explored my new abode. "I love it!" I said with a smile on my face. "I feel like a fairy living in here.

"Well you do have wings," he laughed. "The balcony faces the west so you can watch the sunset and the kitchen window faces the east so you can watch the sun rise while you make breakfast, if you're up that early. All the appliances run on magic, including the refrigerator and the shower. Food and water will always be in the fridge, supplied by my magic. To light the candles around the house and in the chandelier, snap your fingers next to the candle you want lit. I put a spell around the house that prevents bugs from getting in, so you can thank me for that later. However, you will not be able to leave the house because I do not want you eaten by vampires or crocodiles. If you need anything, just say my name and I will be here." And with that, he vanished.

I sighed and headed toward the wardrobe. "Time to change out of these clothes." I looked at my ripped shirt in the vanity table mirror, and stretched out my wings. I opened the wardrobe and ruffled through the clothing. They were all…dresses. I didn't mind dresses; I just thought it was an interesting clothing choice for living in a swamp. Luckily, all the dresses were long and some had long sleeves, and the swamp was strangely cold. I pulled out one that I assumed was a nightgown and put it on. It was cream, had long sleeves, went down to my ankles, and was the softest piece of clothing I had worn in my life. There were two holes cut in the back for my wings to fit through perfectly. I noticed that all the dresses had those two holes. I smiled to myself.

It was past midnight, or so the ancient grandfather clock claimed. I quickly braided my hair down the back, washed my face with natural face wash and brushed my teeth with a strange substance in a jar labeled "toothpaste" that tasted like berries. I returned to my little room and snapped at the chandelier and all of the candles. They immediately hushed their flame, leaving only curling wisps of smoke behind. _Good thing I can snap,_ I thought The room was dark, save for the calming silver moonlight pouring in through the window. I went over to the deep purple bed, and moved the canopy out of my way, only to find my ipod lying on a pillow. _Huh. Guess Pyewackett knew I couldn't survive without my music._ I didn't want to accidentally say his name aloud, so I pondered the ipod incident in my mind.

I buried myself in soft covers, and fell asleep listening to Enya, my wings spread out around me.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note: I own all of the characters in this story. I also own the Dove mythology. If you would like to use the dove mythology in any of your stories, please private message me. :) **_

**Chapter 3:** **"This is the death of me." –Escape the Fate**

It had been around a week since I had been relocated to the little tree house cottage, and I had read just about every damn book on the bookshelf. Luckily, there was a little piano that I could play on and sing some songs I had memorized in my spare time. Pyewackett dropped by occasionally, even when I didn't call. He was quite entertaining company. He would tell me stories of enchanted forests, unicorns, and dragons, all of which he climbed to be true. And, the thing was, I believed him. Why wouldn't I? I flew around the swamp a little each day, even though I knew I was supposed to stay inside. I just couldn't help it- cool air on my face, flying for goodness' sake. It was all so…amazing. I'm serious.

I searched through the wardrobe on the second day, only to discover- you guessed it- more dresses. Today I had on a black strapless one that was a corset on the top (just for fashion, not actually for making my waist any smaller) that had a flowy bottom part that draped down to my ankles. And it was really comfortable, surprisingly. I just wore brown lace up boots occasionally, but went barefoot most of the time. It was a life that, so far, I enjoyed. I didn't mind solitude; I wasn't driven mad with loneliness or anything. I was happy.

**Pyewackett's POV**

I could not reach her. Something was blocking my mental signal that I used to keep in touch with her. I couldn't access a portal to the island in the swamp. I could not reach her at all. That was bad, very bad. Someone—or something—was purposefully disrupting and destroying my magic that I used to open a portal. That meant that the thing doing it was extremely powerful, and it was most likely a vampire. I rubbed my temples with my paw. I would not make it to the swamp on foot because I knew that the vampire would capture her before I got there. I rarely cursed using modern human language, but I thought that the situation called for it. _Shit._

**Ophira's POV**

I was reading _Romeo and Juliet,_ when I heard a knock on my door, which was on the floor. I froze. Pyewackett never knocks, so I had no idea who it was. "Pyewackett" I softly called. He did not appear. Something was off. He came even if I whispered his name. "Pyewackett" I said with a little more urgency. Still nothing. I heard a creepy laugh, and then another knock.

I open up my wing to their full extent, and headed to the balcony in case I needed a quick escape. And that's when I heard a voice. "Little dove, little dove let me in." I could tell they really had a deep voice, but were trying to fake a sadistic sounding high-pitched one. Well it worked, because it was creepy as hell. Just then, the door in the floor flew open. _Oh crap_, I thought, _that thing was dead-bolted shut. _And up through he floor came a man, although I guessed it was a vampire creep who finally found me. I didn't see his features because that's all it took for me to fly out my window and into the swamp as fast as my wings could carry me.

**Pyewackett's POV**

I could hear her saying my name, but I couldn't go to her. It was so frustrating. I knew the vampire had entered the cottage because her voice was frantic and quiet. I was truly scared for her. The vampire, naturally, thought she would be an ugly old hag, easy to hunt down and capture. But she wasn't. She was a beautiful, 18 year old dove. And I think that's what worried me the most. Vampires were known for…having their way with their prey to lure them in for feeding. They did that to humans, but not to doves. Instead, they just drank from the old doves until their blood ran out and stopped regenerating. Ophira's blood would always regenerate because she was so young. And it was only a matter of time before they found that out. I never told her that because I didn't think she would get kidnapped so quickly, and that fact seemed unimportant at the time.

I realized that I would have to calculate where the vampire would taker her and go there, or wait until they released the block from my magic.

**Ophira's POV**

As I was flying, I could see the vampire keeping a steady pace beneath me while running. I was hyperventilating a little, because I didn't want to be captured. My mind started imagining all of the horrible things they would do to me: lock me away in a dungeon, hook me up to some device to constantly drain my blood without killing me, slitting my throat for amusement and then watching it heal up again. I shuddered, and flew faster.

I made the mistake of looking down at the vampire. He smiled sadistically back up at me. I could see him clearly now in the daylight of the swamp. He was very muscular, with long black hair down past his shoulders. His red eyed glowed at me. Slowly, while still looking up at me, he pulled out some sort of gun. _Shit. Shit. Shit. _I tried so hard to pump my wings harder, but I was so out of breath. He aimed the gun up at me, and shot it.

A metal net shot out of it, and I got caught in it. And then, it electrocuted me. I screamed in pain as my wings froze up, and I plummeted to the ground.

The last thing I heard was laughter. Then I blacked out.

.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note: I own all of the characters in this story. I also own the Dove mythology. If you would like to use the dove mythology in any of your stories, please private message me. :) **_

_**I now have links to pictures of what characters look like on my profile :D Tell me what you think! **_

**Chapter 4: "This is how an angel dies" –Awolnation**

I opened my eyes groggily. My head pounded with pain as I struggled to take in my surroundings. I was in some sort of car, and I guessed it was a limo because it was spacious. I noticed that my wings were tied together so I couldn't move them, my hands were handcuffed behind me, and my feet were tied together with rope.

_Damn, _I thought. Sitting across from me was the same vampire who had captured me earlier. He was looking out the window, his face expressionless, but he turned to me when he noticed I was awake. He smiled. "Hello." His red eyes bored into mine as shivers traveled up my spine in a he-is-bad type of way. "What is your name?"

I remained silent. "I said, what. Is. Your. Name?" No words came out of my mouth. He grabbed my face harshly, and said very quietly, "If you do not tell me your name, I will pluck you feathers out one. By. One. Is that understood?" I wasn't about to tell this creep my name, so I shut my mouth even tighter. He released his grip on my chin, and slid over to where he could touch my wings. Ever so slowly, he took hold of a feather, and pulled it out. I gasped in pain, damn that hurt. Almost immediately, a new feather formed in its place thanks to my healing powers. "Are you going to tell me?" I narrowed my eyes at him. Again, he slid a feather out of my wings, then another, and another, all of which grew back. Tears sprang to my eyes but I refused to let him see me cry.

He had about 15 feathers next to him now, and I finally caved in. "Ophira." I choked out.

"Ophira. Interesting name."

"Where are we going?" I asked, with hatred in my voice.

"Oh wouldn't you like to know." I gave him a death glare. He just looked at his nails.

I looked out the window, hoping to see some sort of recognizable territory, but I only saw trees and forest whipping past us. My eyelids felt like bricks, and I only now realized just how exhausted I was. _Stay awake!_ I told myself, but to no avail. Eventually, I fell asleep.

Someone was shaking me awake. I opened my eyes only to find the sharp glare of bright lights shining down into my face. "Fuck." I mumbled to myself. I tried to shield the unnatural light with my hands, only to discover that my wrists, wings, and ankles were strapped down to a large metal table, which I was laying on. The same vampire from the car was with another vampire who wore a white lab coat and doctor clothing. The doctor looking vampire spoke up first. "Well done Alec. She hardly has a scratch on her." So that was the black haired vampire's name.

"Thank you. Capturing her was a piece of cake. When do we start the blood test? I want to make sure she's a real dove. I have never seen one so young."

"Actually, right now. Her blood should be able to tell us many things about her. Now that you've awaken her, we can start. How are old are you?" he asked. I eyed the needle in his hand. Struggling was pointless.

"18."

"Good. Very good."

"Bastard" I said to the doctor as the doctor stuck the needle into my arm. I didn't struggle. I didn't care. I was feeling depressed because I knew I would never have my freedom back. I was practically going to be a slave to some vampire I didn't know. I swallowed hard and hoped it wouldn't be Alec. The doctor removed the syringe and went over to a corner of the small room we were in. It looked like a hospital room. I was too tired to even lift my head. I just didn't care. I felt numb on the inside. I told myself to stop feeling because I knew only had more pain ahead of me. As dumb as that sounds, it's what I felt.

"She is definitely a dove." I heard the doctor speak. "And there is something else very interesting about her cell composition. If blood is taken from her, her body will regenerate the lost blood."

"So?" Alec snarled.

"She won't run out of blood like the older doves. The only reason I can think of for this is the fact that she's young and will stay young."

"And how do you know this for sure?"

The doctor sounded annoyed. "I've been studying dove blood my entire life, unlike you."

"She's going to fetch a pretty penny in the auction this evening."

"Oh I don't doubt that. But she needs to be cleaned up and given new attire. No vampire wants a filthy looking dove."

"True. I'll take her my house and have my maids wash her clothes."

The doctor was hovering over me now, and I saw him nod. Then it hit me. "Woah, woah, woah. What auction? I am not going to be sold at some auction."

"Actually, yes you are." Alec stated. "I was able to locate you and hunt you down, and now I'm going to sell you."

I just stared at him in disbelief, but then relief quickly fled through me. So he wasn't going to keep me after all.

The doctor cleared his throat. "I'm going to need to sedate you so we can get you out here without any… struggle." He stuck an IV in my arm, and for the third time that day darkness overcame me.

I woke up to completely new surroundings. I was laying on a bed, and someone in a simple blue, modest dress was sitting in a chair beside me. "What the hell?" My day kept getting stranger and darker hour by hour.

"Oh good, you're awake. I have been instructed to get you ready and presentable for the auction, and I suggest we get started now." I assumed this was the maid Alec mentioned earlier. To my delight, I wasn't strapped down this time. And I saw a window across from the bed. I put two and two together, thinking I could make an escape. Without thinking, I ran over to the window and tried to pull it open. It was bolted. "I wouldn't try that if I were you. Alec said that if you tried to escape, he would just catch you and rip off your wings because it's only your blood that matters." I shuddered. After the incident in the limo, I had no doubt that Alec would take a knife to my wings and cut them off.

"Very well then." I turned around slowly to face the maid. "What now?"

"First you are going to shower, while I wash your black dress. So, off you go into the bathroom." She hurried me along as I entered a room with a giant bath and shower. "Everything you need is on the counter. I expect you to be done in half an hour. Leave your dress outside the door please." And with that, she closed the bathroom door and left.

I let out a sigh and turned towards the shower. It was easy to figure out, and I turned the water to hot. I undressed and left my garment outside the door as instructed. I looked at the sink, where a bottle of shampoo, conditioner, soap, shaving cream and a razor sat. They were all vanilla and strawberry scented. I grabbed them all and stepped into the water. It felt like heaven.

After I was all clean, I wrapped a towel around myself and combed out my hair with a comb also laying on the counter. I opened the door to find my dress, now clean, lying on the bed. On it was a note that read: _Please ring the bell when you are dressed._ I pulled on my dress and put on my brown boots, and rang a tiny gold bell sitting on a dresser. Out of curiosity, I opened the drawers. To my dismay, they were empty. The maid walked through the door, carrying what looked like a huge makeup bag. She seemed excited.

"I'm going to do your hair and makeup now." She said with a smile. I was going to object, but she just looked so happy to be doing this and I didn't want to ruin her chance to have a little fun.

"Go for it." I said. She quickly sat me down in a chair, plugging in a straightener.

30 minutes later, my hair was done. My layered hair was straight, and the maid had teased it a little so it was voluminous. My white blonde, shaggy layered hair felt fluffy. I actually kind of liked it. "Okay, now for the makeup." She opened her bag, revealing loads of different cosmetics. She put black and silver eye shadow on my eyes and lines them with black eye liner. Then, she curled my lashes and added mascara. She swept faint baby pink blush on my cheeks and out pale pink lip gloss on my lips. I have to say I looked pretty good.

"Wow. You're amazing" I told the maid. She blushed.

"No need to thank me, I'm just doing my job. And good luck tonight. But just so you know, not all vampires are bad or evil. Some are actually quite nice."

"I'll believe it when I see it." She nodded her head in understanding. Just then another maid entered the room.

"Is the dove ready?

"Yes. I'll bring her to the limo." The other maid disappeared out the door. "Alright, let's go to the auction house." She led me outside to a sleek, black limo. "Alec is inside. Please do not try to escape, because you he will get you. And be brave dear" she said with a small, sad smile. She opened the limo door for me, and I went inside. Alec was dressed in a blue suit and had his hair hideously sleeked back. I fought back a laugh. He looked ridiculous.

"Do I need to strap you in this time?" he asked, his voice a little too eager.

"No. I won't try to escape." _Not when I'm with you, anyways, _I thought.

"Good" he sneered. The drive to the auction house was quite and uncomfortable. When we got there, I almost sighed with relief. Almost. Because I remembered I was being auctioned off for my blood. We drove around back, and Alec grabbed my and led my out of the limo and into the auction house. The building was massive. The outside and inside looked as if it had been decorated in the 19th century. I was ushered up some stairs into a back room that held items like paintings, an old piano, and other valuable looking items. "These are other things being sold at this evening's auction. I will come get you when you are to be shown to the crowd. Until then, if you try any funny business, I will personally saw off your wings." And with that, he left.

"Great. I'm stuck in here with a bunch of old paintings for company." I heard voices below me, and I guessed I was above the stage where things were being auctioned off. Something caught my attention. In the corner of the room was a little hole. I peered down, and to my surprise found that I could see the auction house stage. A man, who I assumed to be a vampire, was speaking into a microphone.

"Can I get 1,000? 1,000 anybody? Yes, can I get 1,500? 1,500? Going once, going twice, sold!" I could see that he was auctioning off a painting of a forest. It was beautiful, no doubt. A noise in the room caught my attention, and I looked up to see what it was. And lo and behold, there was Pyewackett.

"Pyewackett!" I whispered, smiling. I didn't want anybody to hear me.

"I'm sorry I couldn't reach you sooner, but some vampire was mentally blocking me. Even now, most of my important magic won't work in the presence of vampires. And seeing that those are the only creatures you'll be associating for quite some time, I'm afraid I will only be able to be a companion to you from now on. I will offer you advice, but I cannot open a portal to rescue you." He hung his head.

"That's okay Pyewackett. At least I'll have you and your wisdom as a companion. But how did you find me here?"

"I tried to guess where the vampire would bring you, and I thought of the old auction house. I ran here as fast I could, and went to the item storage room, thinking that the vampire would sell you. And here I am now." I heard heavy footsteps on the stairs, and Pyewackett hid behind the piano. "I'll find you, don't worry" he whispered. I nodded my head and the door opened. A burly vampire came in.

"Alright love, let's go auction you off."

"Don't call me love." He smirked. I followed him down the steps and onto the stage. The lights were blaring, and I could feel hundreds of eyes staring at me.

"Don't try anything, because it won't work" he warned me. The auction man I heard earlier started talking about me.

"This, my fellow vampires, is quite the prize. She is, indeed, a dove. Because she is young, it as been found that her blood quickly replenishes; she will never run out of blood as long as she lives." There were a few gasps of surprise in the audience, and I could have sworn I saw some vampire lick his lips. "This is the last dove found in in a very long time, so she's rare. And she's 18 years old, and will be forever." He winked. "Let's start the bidding at 50,000. 50,000 anyone? Yes, 50,500?" It went on and on like that. I started getting anxious. "90,000? Yes, 95,00?" There were only two vampires left. One was wearing a regular tuxedo and looked to be about 23 or 24. The other was wearing a blood red suit and tie and looked to be about 40 or 45 years old. _Please get bought by the young one and not the old one_, I thought. "150,000 going once, twice, sold to the man in the black tuxedo." The other vampire sat down angrily, as the one in the tuxedo smiled triumphantly.

The burly vampire dragged me offstage, and I saw the vampire who bought me get up and head for the door. "Mr. Mercier would like to escort you home now. You're lucky you got him. He's quite a nice fellow." I was brought outside and to the front door of the auction building. I had given up on trying to escape because I had nowhere to go and I knew I would be caught if I tried. "Mr. Mercier, your dove." I was handed over to tuxedo man. I got into the limo with him, and we drove off.

"My name is Holden Mercier. And yours is…?"

"Ophira Lafleur."

"Beautiful name." I studied him. He had brown hair with auburn tints to it, and looked pretty nice. "So, let me explain the situation. You are going to be a birthday present for my little brother. He's turning 101 years old." He grinned.

"And how old are you?"

"150."

"Oh."

"But don't worry. Jayson, my little brother, was turned at 19."

"Good to know he's not some 50 year old looking creep." Holden chuckled.

"You will be fed off, but from what I've heard, you won't die. I'm sorry you have to go through this." He actually looked a bit nervous. I just nodded in reply.

The limo ride was silent the rest of the way, but it wasn't awkward. We arrived at a huge, glorious mansion. There were white stone pillars surrounding it, and it was brick. I gasped. "Do you like it?" Holden asked. I nodded. "Good, because that's where you'll be living. Your room is ready and everything."

"Wait how did you know you were for sure going to buy me?"

"When I saw you on the auction's item list, I called the house and told them to prepare a room. And when you're a member of the richest vampire family, you don't exactly have to worry about being outbid." He winked at me.

"Oh" was all I could think of to say in reply. I realized I had my ipod in my dress pocket, and was thankful that the maid left it there. I slyly turned it on. To my delight, it had full battery.

We walked up to the mansion's oversized wooden doors, and Holden pushed them open with ease. We came into a huge living room furnished with Victorian-era furniture. We entered another room, which I assumed was a ballroom. It had polished wood floors and a giant crystal chandelier. Inside was a formal looking party with various vampires talking to one another. "This is the party. And yes, we vampires can eat regular food. There is no nutritional value in it for us. It just tastes good." Holden cleared his throat and stood in front of me. "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to present my present to Jayson." All the vampires in the room turned to look at us. A vampire who I assumed was Jayson walked up to Holden.

"Good evening Holden." I studied Jayson. He was tall and looked 19, ad Holden had said. He had long, straight silver hair that fell across his shoulders. He had sharp facial features and high cheekbones. He was wearing a black v-neck long sleeve shirt, black skinny jeans, all black vans, and a black belt with white studs. His shirt was form fitting, and I could see the outline of well-toned abs and muscles. To put it simply, he was beautiful.

Holden stepped back to reveal me. Jayson's eyes widened a bit, but he quickly regained his composure. I could feel myself blush, and I'm pretty sure Jayson saw it because he smirked a little. I saw one long and sharp canine tooth poke out. I swallowed. I was in my long, black corset dress and felt self conscious with all the eyes on me. "This is Ophira Lafleur, your dove." He proceeded to tell Jayson and the rest of the vampires about how my blood would never run dry. "Happy birthday, Jayson." Holden smiled.

I was escorted to a table, where I sat next to Jayson. "You're just in time for dinner." Jayson spoke. His voice was deep and rich, and I was drawn to it. I could feel my heart speed up. Jayson could probably hear it. _Calm down, _I told myself.

Just then, an annoying voice on the other side of Jayson spoke up. "Jayson, baby, happy birthday!" The girl squealed. I looked over. She was a vampire, no doubt. She was wearing an obnoxiously pink dress that showed a heavy amount of cleavage. Her hair was black and cut in a bob cut. She had side swept bangs. Her six-inch heels looked like they belonged to a stripper. "I got you this." She held out a small, wrapped box. Jayson opened it up, revealing a Katy Perry CD. I almost burst out laughing. _How the hell did he come to date her?_ "I know you don't like Katy Perry too much, but I thought we could dance to it together in your room tonight." She giggled and I threw up in my mouth a little.

"Um…thanks Jenna." She leaned over and kissed him. My heart sank a little and I told myself to suck it up. _You're just food to him. Nothing more, _I told myself.

This was going to be a long eternal life.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note: I own all of the characters in this story. I also own the Dove mythology. If you would like to use the dove mythology in any of your stories, please private message me. :) **_

_**I now have links to pictures of what characters look like on my profile :D Tell me what you think! **_

**I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THESE SONGS**

**Chapter 5: "Next time, I'll be braver, I'll be my own savior…" –Adele**

After the party was over, Holden showed me to my room- which was right next to Jayson's. "Your rooms are next to each other in case Jayson gets…hungry at any time. And be careful with him when he is… he can get irritated easily." _Just great,_ I thought._ First, they sell me like I'm some inanimate object, and now I have to deal with a hungry and occasionally irritated vampire. _Holden interrupted my inner monologue. "Everything you should need for tonight is in your room and bathroom. Tomorrow, you will go shopping for new clothes and and anything else you may need." He was about to walk away, when he turned around and rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. "And look, I'm sorry that you had to go through… all of this… but there are far worse vampire families out there. I'm not going to treat you like food. You are, after all, a living creature like the rest of us…" _No shit Sherlock_, I thought. "To me, at least, you are an equal. I don't know how Jayson will treat you, but I can't make any promises. Anyways, try to get some sleep tonight." And with that, he turned down a hallways and entered what I assumed was his room.

My room was on the second floor of the mansion, which had two spiral staircases leading downstairs. I pushed open the door of my room, and stepped inside. The walls were pale blue, and a king-sized bed with cream-colored sheets was in the middle, the headboard pushed against a wall. A mini crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, supplying the room with a warm, amber glow. A simple white dresser lay in the corner, next to an enormous sound system. A giant bay window was on another wall, with a cushioned window seat underneath. All I could see out the window was miles and miles of deep green forest and the thousands of stars that glittered the black sky above. I sighed as I looked at the beautiful sight.

A door in the room led to a large, porcelain bathroom complete with a giant claw-footed bathtub and enormous shower. I quickly took a shower, relieved that I could stretch out my wings. I grabbed a fluffy towel nearby and went to my dresser to look for pajamas. To my delight and relief, there were pajamas with holes in them for my wings. _I guess they were prepared for me…_

My happiness quickly turned to horror as a realized what type of pajamas they were—a black silk teddy with a pair or skimpy silk night shorts to go underneath it. Luckily it wasn't see-through, but it was still so short. The back was low enough so had been no need to cut holes in it for my wings. _Well, I'm not sleeping in this dress anymore. I'll just buy new pajamas tomorrow. _I was suddenly very grateful that Holden was having me go shopping, and that I did not have to sleep in a dungeon. I pulled on the teddy, turned off the lights, and snuggled down into my warm bed.

I woke up to the sound of very loud music coming from Jayson's room. I groaned and look at the alarm clock on a nightstand next to the bed. It was 12 am. I put my ear against the wall and listened. It was _Backseat_ by New Boyz. _I guess Katy Perry was a no-go tonight. _I had heard this song from listening to the radio, and didn't like its corny lyrics and annoying auto-tuned voices. Plus, hearing it blasted at midnight from another room was never a pleasant experience. I could here high-pitched giggles as well. _Oh brother. What is it, attack of the school girls?_ I assumed Jenna was with Jasyon, and I could hear her voice. "Oh Jayson!" Another giggle. The song continued to play, and I couldn't fall back asleep, so I decided to counteract their music by blasting mine. I went over to my dress, and pulled out my ipod. Walking over to the sound system, I found an audio input and plugged in my ipod. I turned the system on, and cranked up the volume to the highest setting. I scrolled through my ipod and clicked on _Issues (Ruxpin Remix)_ by Escape the Fate. _Here we go_ I though to myself, smiling.

I leaned my ear against the wall to see if I could hear their reaction. I heard Jenna first. "Jaaaaysooooon why is the other music so loud?" I couldn't hear what Jayson was saying, and Jenna spoke up again. "Make it stop! This is supposed to be our music party!" Still no answer from Jayson. "Jayson! I don't like the song that's coming from your pets room!" _What the fuck, I was his pet now? Oh __**hell**__ no._

Jayson finally spoke. "FINE JENNA JUST SHUT THE HELL UP!" I heard a door slam open, and I sat quietly on my bed. _Sounds like they have a great relationship, _I thought sarcastically. A very irritated looking Jayson stormed into my room, glaring at me. "Turn off your stereo. Now." He was just wearing a pair of black sweatpants, revealing his muscularly toned, pale chest. Sure, he was incredibly handsome, but that's why vampires were beautiful: to attract prey. And I was determined to be one prey he couldn't lure in.

"No." I said, looking his straight in his red eyes. I wasn't just about to obey his every whim.

"Turn off the damn stereo right now." He said very slowly, narrowing his eyes at me. I stood up, and walked to him, still looking him right in the eye. He was quite taller than me, so I stretched my wings out to their full length. I saw his eyes very quickly scan over the rest of my bodyand my gray, feathery wings, and I only just remembered what I was wearing. I tried hard to fight back a blush. _Do not let him control you Ophira_, I said to myself.

My ipod switched songs, and now _Buried, Dead and Done_ by Walking with Strangers was playing. The intense screamo rock music from my stereo system was blaring behind me as I glared at Jayson. To my surprise, he broke his gaze from me and smirked. "I love this song, actually," he said.

"Then why the hell are you listening to that other crap in your room?"

"That's none of you damn business," he hissed at me. The song switched again, and now we were listening to _Situations _by Escape the Fate:

_**Situations are irrelevant now. **_

_**She loves the way that I tease,**_

_**I love the way that she breathes**_

A smile spread across, and he started walking toward me slowly, forcing me to back up onto my bed. "I love this song too" he smirked, and put his arms on either side of me on my bed, leaving me with nowhere to go.

_**I touched her ooh, she touched my ahhh, it was the craziest thing.**_

_**I love the girls who hate to love because they're just like me. **_

_**A certain girl she took my hand and ran it up her thigh. **_

_**She licked her lips and pulled my hair, I fall in love for a night**_

"I'm hungry Ophira."

_**She can't behave and I'm just a slave, **_

_**don't worry I'll be gone when the morning comes.**_

_**Darling what is going on?**_

_**Honestly that never happened **_

_**Lying is your favorite passion.**_

_**Leave me, go where you belong**_

_**Higher heels and lipstick napkins **_

_**dying is your latest fashion.**_

I gulped as I saw his two, very sharp canines as he smiled wider.

_**The frustration it's a regular thing**_

_**I hate the ones who love to hate because they're just like me.**_

_**A certain girl she took her hand and put it in my lap**_

_**"It's way too full," she said**_

_**"Once you have me you'll always come back."**_

He took my left wrist in his hand put it to his mouth.

_**She can't behave and I'm just a slave, **_

_**don't worry I'll be gone when the morning comes.**_

_**Darling what is going on?**_

_**Honestly that never happened **_

_**Lying is your favorite passion.**_

_**Leave me, go where you belong**_

_**Higher heels and lipstick napkins **_

_**dying is your latest fashion.**_

I tried to control my breathing as he bit down into my flesh, drawing blood into his mouth.

_**I know you love to resist **_

_**and all it takes is a kiss **_

_**and you just love to hate me.**_

It stung, but other than that I didn't feel any pain. Just numbness.

_**You know you love all the lies **_

_**so don't act surprised **_

_**that I just love to hate you.**_

_**I kissed your lips you pulled my hair it was the craziest thing. **_

_**I love the girls who love to hate. **__**[Breathing]**_

He drank blood from my wrist until I started feeling a little faint.

_**(Whoa) Darling what is going on?**_

_**Honestly that never happened**_

_**Lying is your favorite passion.**_

_**Leave me, go where you belong **_

_**Higher heels and lipstick napkins, **_

_**dying is your latest fashion**_

"You should recover the blood quickly, so just rest now." He picked me up and tucked my under my covers.

_**Darling (leave me) what is going on?**_

_**Honestly that never happened**_

_**Lying is your favorite passion**_

_**Leave me (darling) go where you belong**_

_**Higher heels and lipstick napkins, **_

_**dying is your favorite passion.**_

Jayson strode over to the sound system, turned off my ipod, and left the room without looking back.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Author's Note: I own all of the characters in this story. I also own the Dove mythology. If you would like to use the dove mythology in any of your stories, please private message me. :) **_

**Chapter 6: "Wings wouldn't help you" –Bon Iver & St. Vincent**

I woke up to sunlight streaming in my window, and smiled to myself. I checked my wrist, and was glad to see that it had healed overnight. I no longer felt faint from blood loss. I got up from my bed and pulled on my same dress from last night since I still had no clothing. I brushed my hair a teeth, and started downstairs. I was starving, and could smell breakfast scents wafting up from down below.

My stomach growled in response when I saw the dining room table heaped high full of french toast, eggs, bacon, toast, pancakes, waffles, sausage, fresh fruit, cereal, orange juice, and water. Jayson and Jenna were already at the table along with Holden. I sat down next to Holden, across from Jayson. I didn't want to have to see Jenna's face while I ate. "I trust you slept well last night?" Holden asked. I smirked.

"Yup. Sure did." I said as I grabbed some French toast, eggs, and orange juice. "And thanks for breakfast. It's amazing."

"No problem." I noticed that Jayson only had some juice in front of him that he was barely sipping. "So today," Holden started, "You're going to go shopping with Amelie today. She's one of our maids." I nodded in reply because my mouth was full of French toast. I covered my mouth with one of my hands because I didn't want everyone to see my cheeks bulged out like a chipmunk's while I was eating.

"Ew," I heard Jenna begin, "She eats like an animal-"

"Jenna" Holden cut her off sharply.

"Oh wait. She is one." Jenna said.

I couldn't hold back my words, so I just let them out. "First of all, Jenna, you're an animal too. And excuse me for being fucking hungry this morning, but at least I don't have to suck the life force out of innocent creatures to stay alive." Jenna just looked at me in shock. I got up and ran to my room. Well, I sort of half flew half ran to it anyways. I was miffed at that bitch.

I waited for the maid, Amelie, in my room. I went over to my ipod, which was still plugged into the stereo, and turned on _Comptine d'un autre ete, l'apres-midi _from the movie Amelie. I thought it was funny how the maid's name was Amelie too. The soft piano started playing throught he speakers.

I went over and sat on the window bed, looking up into the bright sky. I suddenly missed everything—my parents, my school, my life. I wouldn't even get to graduate high school this year. I'd probably have to beg Holden to let me at least get senior year done at some other school. My parent were probably still on their long business trip and didn't know I was gone.

So I cried. I tucked my knees into my chest as reality came crashing down on me pretty hard. I just let tears run down my cheeks and glint off the sunlight. No sobbing, no screams on anguish. Just silent tears. I didn't even hear the door open until Jayson was sitting across from me on the window bed. I just closed my eyes, still streaming with tears, and held out my wrist to him. He took it, and bit down almost gently. The pain wasn't that bad, and numbness soon took over.

He got up to go leave, but stopped. He turned towards me, and spoke. "Thank you," he said softly, and left the room leaving me more confused than ever.

A petit girl around my age came into the room. She had blonde curly hair and wore jeans and a navy blue t-shirt. "You must be Ophira Lafleur! I'm Amelie. Amelie Rose." She smiled as she shook my hand, then hugged me. She was short, like me. I liked her immediately. "We'll go to the local mall, and I'll explain everything about the Mercier family and about vampires in general." _Finally_, I thought. She took my hand and lead me downstairs to the dining room where I heard the sounds of dishes crashing against the wall. Lo and behold, there was Jenna throwing porcelain dishes right at Jayson.

"HOW COULD YOU DO-" *** crash * **"-THIS TO ME?" * **crash *** Jayson calmly dodged the flying plates and responded.

"You didn't even love me Jenna. I don't know why you care."

"I LOVED YOU'RE BODY. WASN'T THAT GOOD ENOUGH? WASN"T A FUN SEX LIFE GOOD ENOUGH?'

"No, Jenna, no it wasn't. I didn't love you. I never did. So get out. It's over." She threw up her hands and stormed out.

"Fine I'll go find another guy. Whatever." The front door slammed, and that was the last of Jenna. Jayson finally realized we were in the doorway of the dining room and turned to us. HE opened his mouth to say something, but shut it quickly. He walked past us and up to him room.

Amelie spoke first. "Finally, that bitch is out of here." I laughed a little and agreed with her. We walked out the front door where a Hummer limo was waiting for us.

"No way," I said. "We're taking a Hummer limo?"

"Yup" she smiled. We entered the giant limo, and I looked around me. There was so much space! There was a mini fridge filled with sodas and bottles of a thick red liquid, which I assumed to be blood.

"This is awesome."

"Well, get comfortable because we have a long ride to the mall. Plus, I'm going to fill you in on everything." I sat down , and listened to her begin. "The family you're with now, the Merciers, is the wealthiest vampire family. Their money comes from their parents, and their parents' money comes from their parents' parents, and so forth. They are an old family. Unfortunately, Jayson and Holden are the only two Merciers left. All of their other relatives died in a house fire about 30 years ago while on vacation. Fire is the only way to kill a vampire, to they were dead instantly.

Jayson and Holden weren't quite the same after that, you know. Always… a little less happy. It got better as the years went on, but they used to be so much more outgoing. They would hold grand balls, and huge parties, and they never do that anymore, except for special occasions. I came to work for the Mercier brothers around the time their parents died. I am a vampire, but am not wealthy. And no, I'm not going to drink you're blood." I laughed. "But anyways, I got the job as a maid, which usually just involves dusting things. The kitchen staff really takes care of the rest." She shrugged. "And now to tell you a little but about vampires in general.

First off, they can run very fast, are very strong, can go out in the daylight, and drink blood, obviously. Only fire can kill us as well. Our wounds will heal quickly if we are hurt. And, we do not have a soul until we find our soul mate."

"Soul mate?" I had heard of the term before, but was skeptical about it.

"Yes. Every vampire and other immortal creature has a soul mate. Even humans have soul mates, although they are usually blind to it. When a vampire finds his or her soul mate, they get their soul because they have found love. But just because a vampire doesn't' have a soul yet doesn't mean that they're some horrible, evil creature. It just means that when they get their soul and their true love, they feel complete and are usually a lot happier."

I nodded. "So… have you found your soul mate yet?"

"No, not yet." I saw a blush creep up her cheeks, and knew something was up.

"Oh my gosh you have a crush on Holden, don't you?"

"Wha- what? Of course not, I …" I raised one eyebrow. "Okay, okay, yes I do." She blushed a deep red.

"Do you think he's your soul mate?"

"I honestly don't know yet."

"Well… how can you tell if someone is your soul mate?"

"I'm not sure. It's different for each pair of soul mates. Some say that they knew instantly, others say that it was a gradual thing, like a gut feeling."

"Hmmm… why don't you go on a date with him?"

"I wish," she mumbled. "I'm a maid, first off, and I don't even know if he's interested in me."

"I don't think he'd care that you were a maid."

"Well is still don't know if he even likes me like that."

"I guess we'll just have to find out then." I smiled. Before I knew it, we had pulled up into a giant parking lot, and the driver had opened the door for us.

"Ms. Rose, Ms. Lafleur. I will stay in here until you two come back." The chauffeur was an elderly gentleman that kind of reminded me of my grandpa.

"Thanks Roger," Amelie said, and we got out.

"Wait" I said. "What about my wings? They don't exactly blend in with my surroundings…"

"Oh, don't worry. This is a mall for the supernatural. There are stores that specialize in clothing for all sorts of creatures. And no one will bother you because they know that the Merciers bought you."

"How come I'm treated like I can just be bought? Hmm? I'm a living creature with rights, too."

Amelie sighed. "You're right, but unfortunately, vampires are the most powerful of the supernatural beings…they kind of run the show, I guess you could say. And right now, there is a law that says doves can be bought and sold for their blood. I know, it's cruel and unfair, but no one's had the guts to challenge the head vampires yet."

I just nodded. _We'll see about that._ We arrived to the doors of the mall, which were big and made of oak. I opened the doors and gasped. It was unlike any mall I have ever seen. Everything was furnished in wood, and there was barely and metal. Old chandeliers were placed on the ceiling, and huge candelabras lined the walls. There were many strange shops, and each one had a completely different style. One carried only black leather clothes with metal studs; another carried dresses made out of only flowers and leaves. There various creatures walking around: women with iridescent wings and pale blue hair, girls with long hair studded with seashells, people with green scales and forked tongues, and people that were so beautiful and cold that they had to be vampires.

We ended up going into a shop that specialized in clothes for beings with wings. Amelie explained that the stuff in here would also fit my wings so we wouldn't have to cut holes in any of my brand new clothing. I looked around in awe. There was everything from normal shirts and jeans to richly made silken dresses. I smiled to myself. I have to admit, I sort of liked shopping, and I knew that I probably wouldn't get to do it often now. Amelie handed me a visa card. "This card is fully stocked up with cash, so you don't have to worry about a spending limit." I was shocked. _Did they really care about me that much as to let me go on a full-out shopping spree?_

"Wow…thanks so much…. I never expected to get this kind of treatment here…"

"There are any things to discover about the Merciers. They are not as harsh as you may think." And with that, she moved over to examine a nearby clothing rack.

_**AN: Sorry for not updating earlier… don't be angry! And I may not update for quite some time because I'm going to Disneyland with my best friend this week, and I won't have time to write. But the next chapter should make some of you lovely people like Jayson a wee bit more… hopefully :3**_


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Sorry it's late! :( I recently got my seating audition music for this orchestra I am in…and it's Scheherazade. Which is super hard, and I play the flute. So I've been practicing it constantly, leaving little time for writing. :( So…sorry.**

_**Author's Note: I own all of the characters in this story. I also own the Dove mythology. If you would like to use the dove mythology in any of your stories, please private message me. :) **_

**Chapter 7: "Animal I have become" –Three Days Grace**

After a long, _long_ day of shopping, Amelie and I returned to the mansion around 6 pm. My arms ached from carrying around excessively large clothing bags because Amelie had insisted that I buy almost everything in the store. I was still overjoyed that Jenna was gone, and I happily skipped up to my room to put down all of the bags. "I'm going to go downstairs and see how dinner is coming along. You okay with putting away all these clothes by yourself?" Amelie asked me.

"Yup I got it." I always felt awkward when people did things for me, especially little things like making the bed, cleaning my room. _Cleaning my room. Mom tried to do that for me once… _Tears sprang to my eyes as I recalled that little memory. I missed my parents so much, even though I never got to spend much time with them. I knew they loved me, and I still loved them. _I don't think I'll ever get to see them again._ I tried to calm myself down, so I started folding and hanging up clothes. I changed into a new outfit so that I would have something clean to wear to dinner. I put on a black v-neck t-shirt, black skinny jeans, and a little silver birdcage necklace. I was feeling sad now, and I dressed to match my mood. The birdcage necklace only reflected how much I felt hopelessly trapped here. Even the windows were bolted shut so that I couldn't fly out of here. I stretched my wings, feeling the soft fabric against my feathers and skin.

The door banged open, and in came Jayson. _Oh my freaking-_ "What do you want now?" I asked him. He had his silver hair pulled back into a…braid? I almost laughed out loud. He was wearing a dark red v-neck t-shirt and navy blue skinny jeans. His feet were clad in white socks, which almost got me laughing again.

"I'm hungry." He mumbled. I rolled my eyes and handed him my wrist. He took it almost gently, and held it to his lips. When he bit down, it stung for the first few seconds, but then the pain turned to… goodness? It's hard to explain, but it actually felt good. _Why isn't it just numb, like before?_ Jayson must have felt something too, because when he was finished, his eyes widened a little. "That was strange," he mumbled yet again.

I yanked my wrist back, and saw that he was still standing in my room. I raised an eyebrow at him quizzically. "Why are you still here?" I didn't mean for it to sound rude, but Jayson was annoying me a lot.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for being a complete asshole." He rubbed the back of his neck in what I guessed was a nervous gesture. "I know you probably think I'm a complete jerk, and I am truly sorry that you have to be here. I've done a lot of horrible things as a vampire, and I want to stop that. It's hard to put into words." He turned and left the room, leaving me confused. I peeked my head out of my room and saw that Jayson had disappeared into his room.

I saw Amelie running up the stairs, glancing questioningly towards me. "Dinner's ready, but what was that all about?" We went into the dining room, where I quickly told her how Jayson had apologized. She was shocked. "I've never heard of Jayson apologizing to anyone before."

"There was one other thing," I started. "When Jayson sucked my blood, it felt…good." I could feel a blush creep up my cheeks. _Stop blushing_! I told myself, which of course didn't help at all.

Amelie nodded silently, lips pressed together. "I've heard that happening a couple of times…. But the only times that happened were when vampires were sucking each others' blood because the were soulmates."

Her words took me a second to comprehend, but when I did, they hit me like a brick. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. I don't think Jayson and I are soulmates."

"Sometimes, strange things happen for a reason," was all that she replied. Dinner was laid out onto the big table, and Jayson and Holden joined us for dinner. Jayson sat across from me, and Holden sat across from Amelie. Dinner was silent, but I saw Holden sneaking glances at Amelie the entire time, and I felt myself smile.

"Why are you smiling?" Jayson asked me, honest curiosity in his voice.

"Oh, no particular reason." I sing-sang. "Would somebody hand me a peach?" I asked. The table was horridly wide, and the plate of fruit was out of my reach. Jayson nodded, and picked up the soft fruit. Our hands accidentally brushed up against each other as he handed me the peach, and I felt a shock go through my body, like when you remember something exciting and a surge of adrenaline goes straight to your heart. I dropped the peach out of surprise, and it fell on the floor with a delicate thud. Embarassed, I picked it up and set it on my plate. "Sorry." I said.

"It's okay, we'll get you a new peach." Amelie interjected. I just nodded deftly, wondering just what the hell had happened.

**Jayson's POV**

_Could this really be happening?_ I knew other vampires who had found their soulmates, but I never thought I would find mine, let alone have one. I didn't have a soul and I had definitely let that fact show. I glanced at Ophira, who was concentrating on not letting peach juice drip down her chin. She had a cloth napkin in one hand, and a peach in the other. God, she is gorgeous. She is perfect._ She would never want an animal like you. After the way you treated her her first days here? And the fact that you had Jenna clinging to your arm. She thinks you're an ass. Face it. Who. Would. Ever. Love. You? You're a monster. _I tried to shut out my thoughts, but it didn't work. When dinner was over, I hurried up to my room. The bed had black covers, and the walls were cream. Painting I had painted were nailed to the walls, huge canvases of color. I glanced over each one, and remembered when I had painted them.

The first one was titled _Pain._ It was composed of red and black colors, which were painted on in an abstract way. I made it when I first learned of my parents' deaths. I didn't know how to deal with how I felt, so I painted. I also killed quite a few innocent people, which I regretted the moment I did it.

The second one was titled _Longing._ I remember that I always felt so lonely as a vampire, so I ended up sleeping with girl who I thought would be my soulmate, or who would fill in the gap I felt in my heart somewhere. _Like you have a heart._ I thought, squeezing my eyes shut. The painting was realistic: it was of a man in a morgue, standing over a body underneath a white sheet. You could see the feet of the body, and a body tag was on the toes. The body's hand was visible too, and there was a wedding ring on it. The man also had a wedding ring.

The last painting I had was titled _Numbness_. It was a black silhouette of me, standing in the rain, my hands in my pockets. The rest of the canvas was shades of gray, with dark gray colored paint as the raindrops. I painted this when I started feeling numb. I stopped caring about others, especially when my parents died. I killed for blood, but I didn't care. That was the worst part, that it didn't faze me. My victim's scream for mercy didn't reach my ears. I remembered one night I was walking down the street because I was hungry, and I came to this woman. She was probably in her 20s, and had just come out of a bar. I lured her into an alleyway, and I could hear her heart speed up when I grabbed her waist. Then, I drank her blood. At first, she had no idea what was happening, but then she started screaming at me to stop, she begged me to. I didn't, and she died from blood loss.

That memory still haunts me today. I can't believe I just killed her. Usually, killing people didn't faze me, but killing her did. She was so young, so innocent. _Monster_. _Murderer. _"Stop it." I told myself. "You're going to change. For her." I smiled to myself as I felt something to hope for. _She probably is your soulmate,_ I thought._ Because you're already falling in love with her_. I knew soulmates were characterized by falling in love quickly because the soul wanted to join both beings together.

And maybe, just maybe, she would someday love me back.

**AN: Like Jayson just a wee bit more? Now that you know what he's gone through a bit. He has deep emotional turmoil that's pretty much waiting to break loose. Which will maybe probably happen soon.**


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's Note: I own all of the characters in this story. I also own the Dove mythology. If you would like to use the dove mythology in any of your stories, please private message me. :) **_

**AN: I am sooooo sorry guys! I really don't have an excuse for not publishing earlier. :'( please forgive me. I haven't had very much inspiration, and A LOT going on in my life right now. Sorry! But here it is.**

**Chapter 8: "I know you've got a vengeful heart" –Death Cab for Cutie**

It had been some weeks since I arrived at the Mercier's mansion, and I had grown to like it. I was allowed to fly around the house, but that was it. The windows were still barred, and I was not allowed outside unless someone accompanied me.

I was going down to eat breakfast, and sat down on a chair when something on the dining room table caught my eye. It was a newspaper headline. My stomach filled with dread as I read the black, bold letters: "HUSBAND AND WIFE DIE IN HOTEL FIRE." When I read the caption below, I swear my heart stopped: "Karen and Joe Lafluer suffocate in hotel fire in New York while on a business trip together."

I couldn't stop the tears. I read the story further to reveal that officials had not found the cause of the fire, only that the Lafluers, my father and mother, were the only people who died. At that point I guess I started screaming because I just couldn't hold it all in. My parents. Dead. I didn't even get to say goodbye. Regret flooded through me along with a giant wave of depression. I would never get another kiss form my mother. Another giant hug from my father. Never another "I love you" from their mouths,

I was on the floor, in a ball, wings wrapped around me, and the newspaper clutched in my hand when Jayson rushed in. "Ophira, what's wrong?" His voice was filled with worry, and he saw the newspaper. He read it while trying to calm me down. "I'm so sorry, Ophira. I'm so sorry." He picked me up and held me close to his chest, rocking me back and forth. I had stopped screaming, and only silent tears flooded my face. I became silent and totally numb.

I laid in my bed the rest of the day. Holden, Amelie, and Jayson had all come in and checked on me throughout, and the kitchen staff made me hot chocolate. I was still in shock, and really wasn't talking to anyone.

It was soon nighttime, and everyone had gone to bed. I was exhausted, but decided that I needed to get up and walk around the house to stretch my legs. I went to the library, and started picking through the books to see if there was one that I liked. I chose a Sherlock Holmes novel, and started reading. About ten minutes later, Jayson walked through the giant, wood double doors and into the library. He sat down next to me on the couch. "How are you?" He asked. I just shrugged in return.

"I guess it's still hard to accept it….I'm trying to cope. I just…I don't know." He nodded.

"Nobody knows how the fire that killed my parents started either. We all just woke up, and the vacation house was on fire. Holden and I barely escaped. When my parents died…I did a lot of stupid things…I killed a lot of people I shouldn't have, and I was pretty reckless. I didn't know how to deal with how I felt. So I started painting."

"What did you paint?"

"Here. I'll show you." He lead me up the stairs and into his room, and place I had never been before. On the walls were a few paintings. He explained to me all the meanings behind each one, and by the time he finished tears streaked my cheeks. I had this sudden urge to go and comfort him, some unknown tug on my heart to go to him. I hugged him, and when I pulled away, he gently took hold of my chin and tilted it up towards him, kissing me. When our lips met, the window in his room tore open, and a warm breeze encircled us, blowing around our hair and carrying in rose petals from the garden below. And soft petals swirled around up as we continued to kiss. My wings wrapped around us both.

When we finally pulled away, both of us were breathless. "That was…" I started.

"Nothing like that has ever happened to me before." Jayson said, still staring into my eyes. I noticed that his, usually a warm amber color, were a deep crimson, indicating that he hadn't fed in a while.

"Me either. But here, you're hungry. You should feed." I had been in bed all day, and I knew he needed to eat. He lifted my wrist to his mouth, but I stopped him. He looked at me questioningly. I kissed him again on the lips, and then tugged down to collar of my shirt to better reveal the hollow of my neck.

"You're offering me to drink from your neck instead of your wrist? Are you sure?" I nodded. His slowly put his lips against my neck, and kissed my skin. A jolt of adrenaline rushed through my body, and I was nervous. When he bit into my skin, I could feel his fangs going into my skin, but I felt no pain. I didn't feel faint when he pulled away either. "Thank you," he said in a quiet whisper, and then we kissed again.

We walked back down into the library, and I decided to pick another book out. I was searching through the stacks, when I realized that Jayson was nowhere to be found. "Jayson?" I called out nervously. No answer. I felt a hand brush back my hair, and whiled around. No one was there. "Jayson…this isn't funny. Come on." I was starting to get nervous. I heard a low chuckle in my ear, but again I saw nothing. I started walking quickly through each aisle, hoping to catch a glimpse of the vampire.

I screamed as two arms wrapped around me and twirled me around, but stopped when I came face to face with Jayson. He smiled, his fangs peeking out. I smiled back, and slipped out of his arms, flying to the ceiling of the library. "Ha!" I said, knowing that Jayson could hear me. I flew back down, resuming my hunt for another book. I went deeper into the library, finding stacks of books covered in a thick coat of dust. A leather bound journal caught my eye because it was the only book that was free of dust. I grabbed it, and flipped through the pages. I soon realized that it was Holden's journal. Jayson came up behind me.

"That's Holden's handwriting." He whispered. I flipped to a page titled October 24, 1981. "30 years ago…" Jayson said.

I read the page aloud, very quietly: "I finally did it. I killed my parents. Now, I will get the entire house and Mercier fortune to myself. Unfortunately, Jayson lived through the fire, but I can live with him. It was too easy. Starting a fire made it look like an accident. And the candles were right near the drapes anyways. Too easy." I stopped there, because I could hear Jayson breathing loudly and quickly, his jaw clenching shut. I flipped to the most recent entry and read; "Once again, fires make killing oh so easy. Picking off Ophira's parents was, how do they say it? A piece of cake. Now she will have no where else to run back to, and is forced to be here forever. Her parents were simply in the way." I stopped reading as tears flooded my eyes. I turned to Jayson, who was expressionless.

"He will pay." He whispered.

"Actually I think not." A voice said. A voice that I had hoped not to hear. Holden laughed from across the room, a lighter in his hand. "Aw look at the little soulmates, figuring out what really happened. It will be so sad when I tell people that they died together in the fire." He kept flicking the lighter on and off, on and off.

"What about Amelie?" I asked, furious.

"Oh, I already took care of her. Let's just say she won't be alive to tell the tale."

"Bastard!" I shouted. "She was your soulmate! How could you!"

"Oh yes, that's why I killed her. Now, I won't be able to have a soul." He laughed viciously, and kept the lighter flame on.

"You're a monster," Jayson's voice was dangerous, and he kept glancing from the lighter to the old, wood floor.

"Oh yes." And with that, Holden dropped the lighter on the floor, the tiny flame catching on the old, dry wood. Flames erupted, towering higher and higher, and bookshelves bathed in flames toppled over on one another. Holden was nowhere to be seen. Smoke filled the air, and I found Jayson's hand and gripped it tightly. I tried to fly, but there was fire everywhere, leaving no space for my wings. I felt Jayson lift me into his arms, but I couldn't see his face, only thick, black smoke.

I felt Jayson running, and I saw him kick open the library doors. Almost the entire house was in flames. He ran up the staircase, and stopped. I could see a window opposite the staircase. "Do you trust me?" Jayson asked me.

"Yes" I replied, unsure of what he was going to do. Before I could ask, I felt him jump up from the staircase, cradling me in his arms, and smash through the window. I could feel us falling, and I knew it was at least a three story drop, so I opened my wings. This caused us to slow down enough so that we made a gently landing. We were still hugging each other tightly when we stood up, watching the mansion being engulfed in flames.

**AN: Oh snap, whaaaat? **


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